Rotary engine



H. L. WEED. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, 1918.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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/mmm Wamj Chfonws H. l... WEED. ROTARY ENGINE.' APPLICATION FILEDAue.3.'19|a.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 H. L. WEED.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.3. 1-918.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION man AuG.3. 1918.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

vAPPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. |918.

Patented Aug. 3', 1920.

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Hon/am L. Weed H. L. WEED.

I ROTARY ENGINE.

APPIJCATION FILED AUG.3. 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENTQOFFIC..

HOWARD L. WEED, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WEED DIFFERENTIAL-ROTARY MOTOR COMPANY, OIF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F SOUTHDAKOTA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD L. WEED, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention has reference to an engine of the rotaryalternating piston type, one of its objects being to provide anoiseless, eflicient and inexpensive means for driving the shaft fromthe rotors.

Another object is to provide a rotor the bearings for which are spacedfrom each other lengthwise of the shaft and located on opposite sides ofthe central plane of the annular cylinder, whereby a more frigid andreliable construction is secured than has been possible heretofore.

Again, the invention consists in means for applying'to the sealing ringcarrier a predetermined fluid pressure on the side thereof farthest fromthe corresponding rotor, whereby the carrier is pressed against therotor to maintain a close joint; it also consists in means for applyingsuch iuid pressure to a sealing ring supported in the carrier; also inmeans for relieving the pressure to prevent it from becoming greatenough to create excessive friction.

The invention also comprises means for pumping cooling iuid, preferablyoil,

through those portions of the rotors which are nearest the firingchamber.

The invention further consists in certain means for sealing the jointsbetween the pistons of one rotor and the circumferential face of theother rotor; also in certain details of the piston construction.

It also consists in means whereby the exhaust from one engine cylinderis utilized to draw air into a second cylinder for scavenging purposes.

The invention further consists in certain details of construction shown,described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, parts being broken away,showing one-embodiment of the invention. Fig.,2 is an enlarged sectionshowing the by-pass through which a low pressure is transmitted from thecylinder to the sid of the sealing ring farthest from the correspondingrotor.

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

the left hand section of the casing being removed; ignition has justtaken place at one side whereas exhaust is beginning at the other. Fig.4 is an enlarged fragmentary Patented A110. 3, 1920.

section corresponding to Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section-similar to Fig. 3,the rotors being in about the mid-point of a stroke. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal section of a piston, one head being removed. F ig. 7 is asection on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on line 8 8of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view corresponding to Fig. 8. Fig. 10is a side view'of the main shaft and the iy wheels, parts being brokenaway. Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Fi 10. Fig. 12 is a sideview of the crank shaft and one of the associated pinions, the partsbeing disassembled. Fig. 13 is an end view of the crank shaft. Fig. 14is a side view of one of the rotors, parts being broken away and thepiston heads being omitted. F ig. 15 is a section on line 15-15 and Fig.16 is a similar fragmentary section on line 16-16 of Fig. 14, bothshowing but the main element of the rotor only. Fig. 17 is a section onthe line 17-17 of Fig. 14. Fig. 18 is an end view of the second elementof the rotor. Fig. 19 is a side viewof the engine, parts being brokenaway to show the exhaust pipe construction. Fig. 20 is a section on line20-20 of Fig. 19. Fig. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary view correspondingto Fig. 3 and showing the pump valve whereby the oil, which surges backand forth in the rotor, is deflected or returned to the casing.

Power transmitting features-The invention is shown applied to a twocylinder engine although a greater or less number may be employed. Inthe type shown, each cylinder casing is formed in two sections 1 and 2,formed in any suitable way, the sections 2 being bolted together as bycap screws 3. The main shaft 4 extends from end to end and is supportedin the bosses 5 on the sections 1. Rigidly secured on the shaft withineach casing unit, for example, by means of the keys 6, is a fly wheel 8having a long hub into which the shaft is fitted and through which andthe roller bearing 9 the weight of the rotating parts is transmitted tothe casing. As shown, a single bushing 1() is interposed between thehubof the ywheel and the bearings 9 as well as It will be seen that eachflywheel includes a rim 19 and four arms 20 (between. which are formedopenings 21, Fig. 11) whlch are perforated at points 22-23 ninetydegrees apart; dia-metrically disposed pairs of the perforations areextended in opposite d irections from the arms, being formed 1n bosses24-25 as best indicated in Figs. 10 and 11. As is best indicated in Fig.10 corresponding parts of the two fiy wheels are spaced forty-five de1ees from each other about the shaft. ach perforation receives a bearingor bearings 26 (Fig. 1), preferably of the roller type, in which ismounted a crank shaft 27 upon one end of' which a corresponding gear orpinion 28 is fixed. Any suitable means for securing these gears to thecrank shafts may be used, that shown (Fig. 12), namely the keys 29 andretainer 31 is claimed in my above identified application.

Those crank shafts which are disposed in the perforations 22 have theirgears mounted on the right hand end, Figs. 1 and 10, and arranged tomesh with the gear or circular rack 32 fixed on an annular flange 33formedas a part of the casing section 1; in like manner, the crankshafts for the holes 23 (Fig. 11) have their gears meshing with asinular rack or gear 34 on the section 2. Thus it is evident that if theflywheel and shaft are to turn, the gears and `crank shafts must alsorotate. Each crankshaft (Fig.

12)- has a crank 36, and these cranks are,'

of course disposed alternately on 'opposite sides of the plane whichincludes the axis of i the corresponding cylinder, as explained withreference to the gears.

Mounted on the bearings 11-14 and 12-13 are pairs of rotors-rights and1efts-the construction of the latter being shown in Figs. 14 to 18inclusive. As indicated therein, the rotor preferably comprises a maindisk-like member or element having an offset hub 41 received on thebearing 13 and connected to the rim 42 by an offset web 43 provided withopenings 44-45 spaced ninety degrees apart. The outer face 46 of the rimis cylindrical except in so far as it is broken by the oppositelydisposed pistons, hereinafter descrlbed; and the central portion of theweb ares inwardly from the.

inner end of the bearing 13 as shown at 48. At points midway betweenthe. openings 44-45 the web is provided with bosses-49 cored out at 50to receive nuts 51 into which the screws 52 are threaded, these screwsserving to hold the second element 53 of the rotor firmly on the first.The construction of this element is best shown in Figs. 17 and 18, andit is carried (Fig. 11) on the bearing 12 on theopposite side of the webof the fiywheel: thus the rotor is supported at two points well removedfrom each other longitudinally of the shaft and on opposite sides of thecentral plane of the cylinder. It will be understood that the elements49 pass through the openings 21 between the arms of the fiywheel.

As stated above the other rotor differs from that described merely inthat it is a right instead of a left, and the corresponding parts, in sofar as they are shown, are therefore given the same reference numeralqualified by a prime. The bosses of the second rotor pass through theopenings 21 at right angles to those in which the first mentioned bossesare received. It will also be understood that the cranks 36 are receivedin the openings 44 of the corresponding rotor, the corresponding hubs 24or 25 passing through the openings 45. As shown, the openings 44 areapproximately elliptical to provide clearance for the cranks, but theouter wall of the openings 45 extend more nearly circumferentially ofthe rotor to accommodate the circumferential movement of the rotorrelatively to the hubs. The cranks 36 are connected to the correspondingrotor by means of connecting rods or links 54 pivoted at 55 between themain web portion of two of the arms 43 and the lu s 56 thereon. 1 l

he intake port leading to the annular cylinder 55 in which the pistonstravel appears at 57; the exhaust port at 58, Figs. 3 and 5; and thespark plug or other ignition means at 59.

The general operation is as follows, the direction of rotation beingclockwise, Figs. 3 and 5; when the rear face of va leading or firstpiston sweeps by the intake port 57 its motion is rapidly increasing ascompared with that of the next succeedlng or second piston, consequentlya suction is set up in the space between these particular pistons andair (in this case, fuel mixture) is drawn in. (Fig. 3) As the secondpiston sweeps by the intake port, the relation of the speed of therotors is reversed thereby compressing the air or charge, an' actionwhich is completed when the charge reaches the ignition means 59. Firingtaking placethe rst piston is again forced forward at` relatively highspeed until exhaust occurs as shown in' Fig. 3, whereupon the secondpiston again moves faster than the first; and the exhaust is followedbya scavenging of the space between the two pistons during with thelinks 54, react on the flywheel to` drive the shaft. There being fourpistons, it follows that four working strokes per cylinder are securedfor each revolution. It is preferred to arrange the correspondingworking parts of the two cylinders at forty five degrees to each other,as stated before, so that the impulses in one cylinder overlap those inthe other, that is, in a two cylinder engine an impulse is secured eachforty five degrees of angular movement of the shaft.

When the parts are constructed as shown,

the maximum speed of the forward piston relatively to the rear piston on working stroke occurs when the stroke is only about one thirdcompleted, that is, while the pressure is still high. Putting .itanother way, the greatest leverage on the flywheel and shaft is securedwhen the pressure is high;

and as the torque is a product of these two factors it follows that amore efficient application of power is thus attained. 4

Scavengz'ng and piston cooling-It will be seen, Figs. 6 and 7 that thepistons each comprise skeleton end walls 60-61 joined by a longitudinalimperforate wall or diaphragm 62, there being side openings 63 betweenthe wall` 62 and the rim of the corresponding rotor, these openingsbeing arranged to register, after exhaust is completed, with air inlets64 (Figs 3 and 5) in the sides of the cylinder. The piston heads 65 aredetachably secured to the walls 60-61 as by threaded studs 66 and areprovided with ribs 68 whereby the passages 69 are formed. The outerwalls of the pistons are open at 70. Each of the cylinders has ascavenging port 72 between the ports 56 and 57, said ports 72 openinginto the scavenging pipe or manifold 73, Figs. 19 and 20. The exhaustports 57 open into the pipe or fitting 74 that includes the dividingwall 7 5 whereby the exhaust gases from the two cylinders are keptseparate until they are well beyond the exhaust port which is nearestthe outlet end of the fitting. The pipe 7 4 projects into the manifold73 and has its extreme edge close to the inner wall thereof, but isspaced considerably therefrom nearer the exhaust ports, whereby the flowof exhausr gases from the fitting creates a suction in the manifold 73and in the port 72. As the exhaust impulses from the two cylindersoverlap, it is evident that sub-atmospheric pressure is constantlymaintained in the manifold 73, therefore as soon as the openingregisters with the port 72 and the openings 63 register with the airinlets 64, cold'ai-r is drawnin through the pistonl seals the joint butalso reduces friction,

as indicated by the arrows Fig. 5, thereby blowing out whatever hot gasmay be present and cooling the piston. In order to prevent the air fromseeping across from the space interiorly ofthe wall 62 to the spaceexteriorly thereof, it is preferred to provide one or more interruptinglongitudinal grooves 79, Fig. 3, in the outer surface of the piston.

Sealing features.-Interposed between the outer edges of the rotors is aring 80, Figs. 1 and 4, substantially V-shaped in cross-section thatrides rather loosely on the rim ofthe fiywheel. This ring no t onlysince it itself moves around on the flywheel by a motion dependent onthe relative movement of the rotors.

The joints between the and the surface 46 or 46 of the other preferablyclosed as indicated in Figs. 6, 7 8A and 9, that is, by continuing thepiston ring groove 82 across the inner face of the piston and. mountingtherein the plates 83-84 that are forced down onto the surface 46 or 46'and outwardly against the surfaces 85 and 86 and the ends of the pistonrings S8 by piston of one rotor vmeans of the centrifugal levers 89. pivoted in the piston at 90 and having overwelghted ends 91, and thepivoted wedge 92. Only sufficient overweight is employed to insure aIclose fit at normal engine speeds.

The sections 1 and 2 are provided adjacent the rim of the correspondingrotor with grooves, Figs. 1 and 4, preferably having the 100 taperingouter walls 93 and in'these grooves are received annular sealing ringcarriers 194 that t closelyv to the face of the corre# sponding rotorand carry suitable sealing rings 94 94 grooves: At a point swept over bythe rearward piston of a given pair when the compression of the chargehas proceededto a small extent, say to four pounds per square inch, theWalls of the cylinder are perforated at 95, Figs. 2 and 3,'to receivethe check valves 96 access to which may be had by removing the plugs 97which also act as limits for the opening movements of the valves. Theopenings 95 communicate with 115 vthe space or the rear sides of thering carriers, as by means o f the small pockets 98 and passages 99. Assoon as the rearward piston sweeps over the openings 95, the admissionof higher pressure is precluded but the air in the pockets cannot escapesince the check valves 96 are thereafter automaticallyseated,consequently the ring carriers 94 are forced against the rotors by apressure suiiicient to secure a proper sealing action and yet not greatenough to induce objectional friction. It lwill be understood that therings are gradually carried aroundin the carrier; by piercing thecarriers at 100, Fig. 4, this movement is utilized to occabearing on thewalls of the 105 divided by a v into an outer l so . formed ina bosssionally relieve the pressure in the pockets 98,since the excess gasthen passes through between'the ends of the rings, the passage 100 andinwardly along the face of the corresponding rotor until it escapes intothe gear chamber. Oil is fed to the joint between the base of the ring80 and the iiyheel through the passages 101 in the latr by centrifugalaction; and excess oil escaping from the joint or'lwhich follows theflywheel, gets into the space between the ring 80 and the rotors andpasses into the chambers 105, hereinafter described, through ports 102;

RotorI cooling komma-It will be observed that each rotor rim is coredout to form a circumferential chamber 105 into which oil is thrownthrough the passages 106, Figs. 4 and 17 by centrifugal force.

ere no means provided to prevent it, these chambers would thereforequickly fill with oil and remain filled. The variation in the angularspeed of the motor at dierent points in the stroke is utilized toconstantly pump the oil out of the chamber and return 1t to the casingby the following means: at diametrically opposite points the chamber iswall 109-110, Figs. 3 and 21, passage 111, and two inwardly inclinedpassages 112-1-13 which lead, re- .spectively, to the outlets 114-115formed 1n a valve casing 116 that is supported in the depresslo'n orvalve chamber 118, Fig. 16, 119 on the. corresponding main rotorelement. A valve 120 is slidable -in the vchamber 118 circumferentiallyof the rotor and closes one or the lother but not both of the ports114-1'15, depending on its po- .sition. 4For example, as a particularrotor accelerates, the inertia of the oil in the chamber 105 causesl itto flow backward relatively to the rotor, whereupon the excess oiliside- {iected inwardly through the passages 112. The acceleration,together with the inertia of the oil (whichlacts by pressure through thepassages 112 andby suction through the passages 113), throws the valves120 backwardly thus opening the port 114 and permitting the ,011 vtoescape inwardly into the casing; in

like manner, as the rotor slows down in its stroke, the valves 120 arethrown to the other `linits of their movement, thereby opening theports. 115 -and allowing the oil in the chamber 105 to escape throughthe passages 113 and 115. A constant circulation is thus maintained toand from the chamber 105.

' Oil is .largely `prevented from seeping through the ljoints', betweenthe rotors and fring 80 by the-ribs 122, Figs. 4 and 17, ndb'ypthepassages 102 through which it esapes into thechamber 105, as statedabove. Thefuelmixture maybe supplied by a abi arbureter 125, Fig). 19,which is prowarfi fuel t rough the pipes 126127 and the heating -chamber128 formed in the exhaust manifold 74.

Cooling water is supplied to the several water passages 130 in thecasing by means of the inlet pipe 131, Fig. 19, and is dischargedtherefrom through the pipe 132.

The various features involved are each susceptible to considerablechange without departing from the spirit of the invention, and some ofthese features, for example, the rotor construction and the means forconnecting the rotors to the shaft, are applicableto steam engines aswell as to those of the com- 'mounted in said carrier, and having theiraxes parallel to that of the main shaft, said crank shafts each having agear onone end and a crank on the other and alternate crank shafts beingreversely arranged, gears fixed to the casing andv with which the firstnamed gears are in mesh, and a link connecting each crank with the rotorwhich is on the same side of the crank shaft carrier.

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a main shaft cluding an annularcylinder, a pair o rotors angularly movable about the mainshaft, eachrotor including a pair of pistons arranged to travel in the cylinder,the pistons of the two pairs alternatlng, a counter shaft carrierbetween the rotors and rigid with the main shaft, counter shaftssupported by the carrier, means associated with the counter shaftswhereby'a relative angular movement of the rotors is made to turnthecarrier and main shaft, said rotors each being supported on bothsides of the counter. shaft carrier.

3. In a rotary engine, a casing forming an annular cylinder, a mainshaft perpendicular to the plane said cylinder at the center of thecircle, a pair of rotors movable about the shaft and each including apair of pistons'arranged to travel in the cylinder, the pistons of thetwo -pairs alternating, means whereby a relative angular movement of therotors is made tozcause the main shaft to turn, and bearings forsupporting each rotor on both sides of the plane of the axis of thecylinder.

4. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a main shaft mounted therein,said casing mounted therein, said casin in` of the 'circular axis ofAforming an annular cylinder, a pair of rotors loose on the shaft andeach including a pair of pistons arranged to travel in the cylinder, thepistons of the two pairs alternating, a fly wheel xed onl the shaft anddisposed between the rotors, means whereby a movement of the rotorsangularly relative to each other causesthe flywheel to turn, saidflywheel having openings l therein through which the rotors pass, andbearing means for each rotor on both sides of flywheel.

5. A rotary engine including an annular.

cylinder, a main shaft, a pair of rotors movable about the shaft andeach having a pair of pistons traveling in the cylinder, the pistons ofthe two pairs alternating, a flywheel disposed between the rotors, crankshafts carried by and rotatable in respect to the flywheel, linksconnecting the cranks of alternate crank shafts to dierent rotors, andmeans for causing the crank shafts to rotate as the rotors travel in thecylinder, whereby the flywheel and shaft are caused to turn.

6. An internal combustion engine lincluding a casing forming an annularcylinder, there being a pocket adjacent said cylinder and a restrictedpassage for admitting fluid pressure from the cylinder to the pocket, arotor for the cylinder, the casing having an annular groove thereinopening toward the outer edge of the rotor, a sealing member in thegroove, the bottom of the groove communicating with the pocket, wherebypressure in the pocket forces the sealing member against the rotor.

7 An internal combustion engine comprising a casing forming an annularcylinder, pistons in the cylinders,'rotors whereby thel pistons arerespectively carried, means for admitting fuel mixture to the cylinderbetween the pistons means for causing the pistons to compress themixture, a sealing element for the joint between one of the rotors andthe casing, a passage leading from the cylinder ata point swept over bythe rearward vpiston when the compression is low,

said passage also leading to the side of the sealing element oppositefrom the rotor whereby said element is pressed against the rotor.

8. An internal combustion engine including a casing forming an annularcylinder, a rotor for the cylinder, the casing having an annular grooveadjacent the outer edge of the rotor and opening toward said rotor, asealing ring carrier in the groove and bearing on the rotor, a sealingring supported thereby and bearing on the wall of the groove, and apassage connecting the cylinder to a point in the groove beyond thesealing ring, whereby the ring carrier is pressed over against the rotorby fluid pressure.

9. An internal combustion engine including a casing forming an annularcylinder, a rotor for the cylinder, the casing having an annular grooveadjacent the outer edge of the rotor and opening toward said rotor,- asealing ring carried in the groove and bearing on the rotor, a sealingring supported thereby and bearing on the wall of the groove, and apassage connecting .the cylinder to a point in the groove beyond thesealing ring, whereby the ring carrier is pressed over against the rotorby fluid pressure, and means for intermittently relieving th'e pressurein said passage.

'10. An internal combustion engine comprising a casing forming anannular cylinder, pistons in the cylinder, rotors whereby the pistonsare respectively carried, means for admitting working fluid to thecylinder between said pistons, annular Vgroove therein adjacent theouter edge portion of one of the rotors, said groove opening toward thesaid rotor, a sealing ring carrier in the groove and pressing on therotor, a sealing ring supported by the carrier and pressing on the wallof thegroove, and a passage connecting a point of low pressure in thecylinder to a point in the groove beyond the ring, whereby the carrieris lightly pressed against the rotor.

l1. An internal combustion engine comprising a casing forming an annularcylinder, pistons in the cylinder, rotors whereby the pistons arerespectively carried, means for admitting working fluid to the cylinderbetween said pistons, the casing having an annular groove thereinadjacent the outer edge portion of one of the rotors, said grooveopening toward the said rotor, a sealing ring carrierin the groove andpressing on the rotor, a sealing ring supported by the carrier andpressing on -the wall of the groove, and a passage connecting a point oflow pressure in the cylinder to a point inthe groove beyond the ring,whereby the carrier is lightly pressed against the rotor, and a checkvalve in -said passage whereby fluid in the passage is prevented fromreturning to the cylinder.

12. In combination, a rotor having a holllow rim portion forming acircumferentially extending chamber, means for supplying liquid to saidchamber, means for constraining the rotor to turn alternately faster andslower, and means controlled by the inertia of the liquid for directingthe liquid from said chamber inwardly toward the axis about which therotor turns.- 1

13- A' rotary engine comprising a casing, an engine shaft mountedtherein, said casing including an annular cylinder, a pair of rotorsconcentric with and loose on the shaft, each of said rotors including apair of pistons arranged to travel in the cylinder, the pistons of thetwo pairs alternating, means the casing having an rotors for eachcylinder,

for supplying a charge of combustible mixpistons forward at differentspeeds, the

speed of the forward piston being greatest for a time and the relationof the speeds thereafter reversing, the rotors having circumferentialchambers therein around their outer edges to which cooling liquid issupplied as the rotors turn, and means whereby the changing angularspeed of the rotors is made to expel the liquid from said chambers .andreturn it toward the shaft.

. 14. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising' two annularcylinders, a pair of each rotor including a pair of pistons and thepistons of the pairs alternating, the pistons being hollow, means .forexhausting burned charges from between the adjacent pistons, and meansfor utilizing the exhaust gases from each cylinder for scavenging thepistons of the other cylinder.

15. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising two annularcylinders, and hollow pistons arranged to ,travel therein, means forsupplying fuel mixture to the cylinders between the pistons, means forigniting the mixture, exhaust passages including parts through which theburned gases escape, air ports entering the cylinders beyond the exhaustports, scavenging ports beyond the exhaust ports, and means forutilizing the exhaust gases to maintain a sub-atmospheric pressure insaid lscavenging ports whereby air is drawn through the pistons and airports for cooling purposes.

16. In a. rotary engine, a casing forming an annular cylinder, a pair ofrotors each having a piston received in the cylinder, and means forsealing the joint between the piston of on`e rotor and the other rotor,said means comprising a pair of elements con- ,structed and arranged tobe spread apart longitudinally of the common axis of the rotors tothereby approach the adjacent walls of the cylinder, and centrifugalmeans for thus causing. said elements to spread.

17. In a rotary engine, a casing forming an annular cylinder, a pair ofrotors each having a pistn received in the cylinder, fractional pistonrings for the pistons and means for sealing the joint between the pistonring'oitl one of the rotors and the other rotor, comprising a pair ofelements constructed and arranged to be spread apart longitudinally ofthe common axis ofthe rotors and against the ends of the piston ring,and a centrifugally operated lever carried by the piston, whereby saidelements l are thus spread apart.

HOWARD L. wEED.

